Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.)

J. L. KINGSTON. CARPET STRETOHER.

No. 438,437. Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. KINGSTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,437, dated October 14, 1890.

Application filed March 14,1890. Serial No. 343,856. (No model.)

ciently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved carpet-stre tcher, the handle being represented as broken off; Fig. 2, an edge elevation of the same; Fig. 3, an elevation representing the stretcher in use, the handle being removed;

and Fig. 4 a view illustrating certain details of construction.

Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the difierent figures of the drawings.

My invention relates especially to a device for stretching and holding carpets while being laid; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the obj ectbeing to produce a simpler, cheaper, and more effective device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation:

In the drawings, A represents the body of the stretcher, which is provided with a socket b for receiving a wooden handle B in the usual manner. The opposite end of the body is flattened and extended laterally, forming a head d, the outer edge of said head being toothed or serrated at f in the ordinary way. A diagonally-arranged slot g is formed in the body A, as shown in Fig. 4, said slot being rectangular in side elevation. A forked or U-shaped lever D has the ends of its arms curved downwardly at h and drawn to a point at z, to enable it to be inserted in the floor. The central portion of the lever D is squared or flattened to enable it to be inserted in the slot g of the body A and prevent it rotating therein.

In the use of my improvement the stretcher, with the lever D removed, is employed in the ordinary manner for stretching the carpet and holding it while tacking. When necessary to draw the carpet tightly across the floor to the wash-board, stretchers as ordinarily constructed are inoperative, it not being possible to obtain sufficient leverage to move and hold the carpet. By detaching the handle B from the body A and inserting the lever D in the slot g, so that the ends of its arms project beyond the handle-socket, the stretcher may be disposed beneath the carpet near the wash-board. The edgem of the carpet is then folded over the serrated head d of the stretcher, as shown in Fig. 3, and the points 'i of thelever insertedin the floor 19. By grasping the head d and folded portion of the carpet thereon and forcing said head downward, sufficient leverage is readily obtained to draw the carpet tightly across the floor to the washboard, whenit may be tackeda short distance from said board, as at q, and the stretcher removed. The edge of the carpet may now be readily secured in position in the ordinary manner.

Instead of forming the slot g in the body A to receive the lever D, I frequently cast said lever integral with said body, as it interferes very slightly with the use of the stretcher, in the usual way. By forming it detachable, however, it may be more readily packed for transportation.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is- 1. A carpet-stretcher comprising a body having a handle-socket in one end, the opposite end being fiattened and serrated, and a forked curved lever projecting rearwardly from the socket end, substantially as described.

2. A carpet-stretcher comprising a body provided with a handle-socket and serrated head, combined with a curved lever secured to said body, and having its ends pointed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a carpet-stretcher, a body provided with a handle-socket and serrated head combined with a U shaped lever adapted to be inserted in a diagonal slot in said body, and having the ends of its arms bent or curved downward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES L. KINGSTON.

Witnesses:

O. M. SHAW, K. DURFEE. 

